MacLellan 1

Haley MacLellan
Mrs. DeBock
English 4 Honors
29 October 2015
Research Question: How can we help the animals suffering in the shelters?
Working Thesis: The animals can be helped by help from humane society programs.
Refined Thesis: Humane society programs, volunteer work, and fostering homes will help
prevent animals from suffering in shelters.
Annotated Bibliography
Bial, Raymond. Rescuing Rover: Saving America's Dogs. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2011.
Print.
This was chosen as a book source because it gave specific examples and real life stories
of the conditions sheltered pets live in. The shelters and Humane Societies are only given so
much of a budget to work with, and so they find it difficult to receive the necessary help. This
book helps explain how fostering an animal can make an incredible difference. These animals
need attention all day long, but the Humane Society can only do so much alone. What they need
is the help of volunteers in the community to step up and do their part. This source will help
support the thesis by illustrating the impact volunteer and fostering programs can have.

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Byers, Ann. Internship & Volunteer Opportunities For People Who Love Animals. 1st ed. New
York: Rosen Group, 2013. Print.
This book source was chosen because it explains the importance of fostering animals
from the shelter. Animals are stuck in cramped cages for a long period of time. It is likely for
them to be unsociable and timid when unfamiliar people or animals come around. In order for
such animals to become adoptable, a foster home should be arranged. When someone from the
community steps up and fosters an animal from the shelter, they give animals another chance at
finding a home. This source will help support the thesis because it explains the importance of
fostering animals.

Kelvey, Jon. "Humane Society Seeks Foster Families, Volunteers." Carroll County Times
(Westminster, MD) 01 Feb. 2015: Points of View Reference Center. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
This article was chosen as a source because it demonstrates how the new director of the
Humane Society plans to expand volunteer and pet fostering opportunities, as well as offering
discounts on adoption and pet exam fees. Too many animals are left suffering in the local
shelters, and without the proper assistance, the animals can be declared unadoptable. When
sheltered animals start to have some social interaction, they begin to be healthier and happier.
This article will help support the thesis by explaining simple and easy ways to help the animals
in local shelters become adoptable as pets.

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Kennedy, Kirstin. "New Beaver County Humane Society Program Hopes To Reduce Feral Cat
Population." Beaver County Times, The (PA) 30 Sept. 2015: Points of View Reference
Center. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
This article was chosen as a source because it explains a new program offered by humane
societies to help control the stray cat population. After being stray for so long, some cats become
feral, or wild, and are not adoptable as pets. Many of these feral cats find a particular part of a
neighborhood and make it their home and neighbors stop by to feed them. The Humane Society
has found a way to end the overpopulation without euthanizing the feral cats through the TrapNeuter-Return program. This program collects several cats at a time, takes them to the clinic to
be spayed or neutered, and then returns them to the neighborhood. This method is helpful in the
way that it stops the feral cats from reproducing and improves their overall behavior. This source
will help support the thesis by providing an example of how humane society programs can help
feral cats.

Lange, Karen E. "Fostering Hope." All Animals 17.3 (2015): 26. Middle Search Plus. Web. 19
Oct. 2015.
The article Fostering Hope gives a real life example of an animal, who was once said to
be unadoptable, given a second chance at adoption due to a fostering program. When dogs go
from freedom of a home to being abandoned in a cramped kennel at the shelter, they become
anxious and generally uncomfortable. A dog with anxious tendencies is not what most adopters
are looking for. In order for these dogs to become ideal pets, it is best they are fostered until they

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are adoptable to the community. This article will help support the thesis by providing a real life
example of how pet fostering programs can be truly beneficial.

Stewart, Ryan. "CCGA Serves at Humane Society." Brunswick News, The (GA) 11 July 2015:
Points of View Reference Center. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
CCGA Serves at Humane Society by Ryan Stewart shows how even busy college
students can do their part by volunteering at the local shelters. A great way for college students to
give back to their community is to help out in some aspect. Many find it rewarding to volunteer
their help at the local animal shelter or humane society. Even the smallest bit of help can have a
great impact on the animals living in the shelters. College students also tend to have flexible
schedules, so they can sometimes offer assistance during hours when others cannot. This will
help support the thesis by providing an example of how volunteer work can create a better
lifestyle for sheltered pets.